Joint search-and-seizure operations took place at four Daveyton and Etwatwa schools on September 9 as part of an initiative by the Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

In a bid to address crime, substance abuse, gangsterism and the possession of dangerous weapons, MEC Lebogang Maile, SAPS, EMPD K9 Unit, Eastern Region Social Crime Prevention Unit, Gauteng Traffic Wardens and the Department of Education were deployed to Phandimfundo and Lekamoso Secondary schools in Etwatwa and Rivoni and Hulwazi Secondary Schools in Daveyton.

According to Maile, the operation extends beyond removing prohibited items from school premises.

“These operations offer law enforcement officers an opportunity to engage directly with learners about the real-life consequences of carrying dangerous weapons, using substances, and engaging in criminal activities,” he said.

“The scale of the challenge faced at Gauteng schools requires sustained and regular intervention, with unannounced searches taking place simultaneously as part of a province-wide school safety crackdown.

“These operations reinforce our ‘It Takes a Village to Raise a Child’ programme, which recognises that keeping children safe and disciplined cannot be the responsibility of schools alone. We must all work together to protect learners and ensure that schools remain safe environments.”

The searches resulted in the recovery of prohibited items, including vapes, small bags of dagga, loose cigarettes, scissors, matches and containers of suspected drugs, pocket knives, as well as a bullet which had been concealed inside the strap of a school bag.

“These findings serve as a reminder that school safety cannot be achieved by law enforcement alone. Parents and guardians are encouraged to actively engage in having regular conversations about the dangers of drugs, weapons, bullying and peer pressure,” said EMPD spokesperson chief superintendent Kelebogile Thepa.

“They should also be attentive to changes in their children’s behaviour and promote open communication when their children face difficulties.”

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